Saylorville Lake News Releases

For more specific information regarding News Releases call the Visitor Center at (515) 964-0672, or Administration Office at (515) 276-4656, or email SaylorvilleLake@usace.army.mil.

2012

Saylorville Lake Visitor Center Opens

The Saylorville Lake Visitor Center will open for the 2012 season on Saturday, January 7 th . In January, February, and March, the visitor center is open on Saturdays and Sundays from noon until 4 pm. Stop by to learn about the lake and wildlife, view birds at one of the feeders, or watch a movie in the theater.

Saturday, January 28 th at 2 pm meet a park ranger at the visitor center for a winter walk in the woods. The annual Saylorville Lake Eagle Watch Driving Tour is scheduled for February 26 th from noon until 4 pm.

The Saylorville Lake Visitor Center is located on the east end of the dam, off Highway 415 on Horseshoe Road .

Reminder: No Snowmobiles at Saylorville Lake

As part of our mission to manage public lands and protect the resource and recreation facilities, the US Army Corps of Engineers at Saylorville Lake reminds visitors that snowmobile and all other motor vehicle use is prohibited on the Neal Smith Trail and lands surrounding Saylorville Lake. The Neal Smith Trail is newly resurfaced and was not designed for snowmobile or other off-road vehicle usage. Off-road vehicles could damage the new surface.

The Neal Smith Trail is available for cross country skiing, snowshoeing and winter hiking. Trail users are reminded that most recreation facilities are winterized so restroom and drinking water access is limited.

For additional information, you can contact the Saylorville Lake Administration Office at 515-276-4656.

Cold Weather Boating Tips

The US Army Corps of Engineers at Saylorville Lake would like to remind cold weather sportsmen who hunt or fish from boats that they have entered what is statistically the most hazardous time of the year for boating. With the pleasure boating season over, there are fewer boats on the water to render aid during an emergency so boating alone is discouraged. Boaters should always leave a float plan behind with someone who can call authorities if the boater hasn't checked in at a predetermined time. As is the case when operating any vessel or vehicle, boaters should stay away from alcohol in cold weather. A life jacket can provide life saving buoyancy, and insulation to give a boater extra time to get back aboard before being incapacitated by hypothermia should he or she fall overboard. A life jacket will not ward off hypothermia but it will keep you afloat and enable you to practice techniques to conserve body heat. Survival techniques include limiting your movement and banding together with other survivors by facing each other. If you are alone, bring your knees to your chest to conserve heat in your vital organs. When immersed in cold water, the body's natural response is to redirect circulation to the core, bypassing the extremities of our arms and legs, which will increase our survival time. An emergency kit containing a minimum of dry clothes, a waterproof lighter or matches and a flashlight is recommended if a boater becomes stranded ashore due to a boating accident.

Survival times in water vary by person and by the amount of time spent in different water temperatures. Listed below is a general guide for expected survival times if you can remain floating. Wearing a PFD is essential since loss of coordination and ability to hold on to objects is lost much more rapidly in cold water.

70–80° F (21–27° C): 3 hours – indefinitely

60–70° F (16–21° C): 2–40 hours

50–60° F (10–16° C): 1–6 hours

40–50° F (4–10° C): 1–3 hours

32.5–40° F (0–4° C): 30–90 minutes

<32° F (<0° C): Under 15–45 minutes

Many drownings occur to hunters, fishermen, snowmobilers and hikers that never intended to be in the water so PFDs are important any time you are on or around the water.

Latest Lake Data

You can get more information by calling 515-964-0672 or visit the Saylorville Lake web site at www.corpslakes.us/saylorville .

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